Montessori Lessons, Ideas and More…

Planning a trip to Southern California? All the fun is not necessary had at the amusement parks. Take a side trip to Seal Beach, a quaint beach town, that has much to offer. While there, you won’t want to miss the monthly Seal Beach Kite Club meetings. Click here to see what the city of Seal Beach has in store for you and your family. Then, venture to Hobby City for some additional free hands-on fun.

GO AHEAD….MAKE SOME MUSIC THIS SUMMER

Learn how to make a band in minutes. Yes, you and your children can make a coffee can drum and yogurt container shakers by following the easy instructions provided by Kidsongs.com.

Montessorian Dale Gausman will show you how to make and introduce rhythm sticks in your school and home classrooms. Click here for details.

The Blow Ye Winds , Paddle Wheeler and Erie Canal – and Wabash Cannonball are free extension activities from the guide written by Dr. Kathryn A. Short, for Kimbo’s CD release: “Songs About America,” Celebrating America Through Song.. See Kimbo for details.

Download The Number Eating Alligator from Kidsongs.com and discover how these songs can be incorporated into your ECE and elementary math and music lesson planning. Click here for details.

Marjorie Kiel Persons presents two marvelous integrated lessons for your summer music presentations. – Water Music Alla Hornpipe by George Frideric Handel. and Oh, How I Love Italy ? Music, Art, and Food seasoned with History and Geography See Click on this link to access both lesson plans.

EASY, BREEZY, SIZZLING SUMMER RECIPES

Dale Gausman, owner of the North American Montessori Center, shows how children can plan, prepare, and execute a Spring or Summer Tea. Dale’s Friendship Salad makes a perfect addition to the Spring Tea menu or any other event planned for the upcoming months. Click here for details.

Planning a unit study about pirates? Try these three pirate snack ideas – Treasure Chests, Pirate Ships and Cannonballs, all of which, can be easily integrated into any pirate unit study. Click here to access the recipes.

Begin the summer science learning adventure with hands on fun. Children will discover how to change the color of a flower and how water travels up plants by participating in the Changing a Flower’s Color activity submitted by Dale Gausman. See http://www.amonco.org/summer6/montessori_summer6.pdf for details.

John, from Exploration Education, presents an excellent, fun-filled simple and effective activity about static electricity is for children six and up. Click here for details.

Children marvel at identifying the different birds that they encounter at the park, beach or even in their backyard. Find out how Backyard Birds can be incorporated into your ornithology presentations by visiting http://www.amonco.org/summer5/montessori_summer5.pdf

What type of learner is your child? Mariaemma, from Coaching for Learning Success(tm), has the resources you need to discover the answer to this question, plus she has generously contributed her Basketball and Whole Body Memorizing Activity. Access this information, as well as The Whole Body Learner – Gifted for Moving! article by visiting Click here for details.

Rae from Creative Process generously has provided the following free activities], articles, and lesson plans: Calendar Activity, Teacher as Curator : Setting up a School Gallery and Sharing Food, Food in Art? Access this information by clicking here

Are you taking your class on a literature journey? Why not start with the classics. Let Rita Arpaia of literature.com show you how. Point your browser to http://www.amonco.org/summer6/montessori_summer6.pdf Read Rita’s other articles and learn more about how literature.com’s resources for your school and homeschool libraries.

Then, download the new AMC Montessori Hands-On Creative Lesson Planning Newsletter. You can also access this newsletter by visiting http://www.amonco.org and clicking on the new eBook Library.

Below, is just a partial listing of the offerings included in the newly uploaded AMC Montessori Spring Hands-On Newsletter.

Part I – AMC Spring Newsletter

Sandy R. Wilbur answers general as well specific questions which will help you to understand the benefits of bird-watching with children. You’ll learn how to get started, what types of products to buy, and what pitfalls to avoid, to name a few. Sandy is also sensitive to the concerns educators may feel about presenting lessons on this topic

Montessori Dianne Knesek reminds us that numeration is the basis for all math concepts. An important aspect of that understanding is the ability to sequence numbers from least to greatest. Exercises are very easy to make.

The Language Salons are the brainchild of Director François Thibaut, who’s been a foreign language teacher since the late 1960’s. Thibaut’s best known for founding the renowned Language Workshop for Children and the Cercle Franco Americain French of Adults program in 1973. Read about this program in Part I of this newsletter.

Part II – AMC Spring Newsletter

Rae continues to show us why we should visit the Creative Process website. Her innovative ideas will greatly add to your spring lesson planning.

Montessorian Richard Lord offers free Downloadable “Simple Reading Books” & Free Geography Set of Land and Water Form Cards.

Learn also how to make a flannel board from Fun Felt.

Part III – AMC Spring Newsletter

John shares his entertaining as well as educational activities entitled “I CAN’T TAKE THE PRESSURE and The Needle Proof Balloon.”

Nan shows us how to make some delicious peanut fudge. See how you can plan extension lesson exercises combining handwriting, cooking and illustrating!!!

Does your middle school student enjoy participating in fun, challenging puzzles? Are you looking for some activities to help your student prepare for the ACT or SAT?

In honor of two major spring holidays, Alan Stillson, the author of Middle School Word Puzzles, invites you to find these words and expressions that are related to Easter or Passover. Alan also offers some fun, challenging food puzzles for middle school students. Check out the new free samples from Alan’s newest book, Brain Warmer Uppers, as well.

It’s Time to Think Outside the Book and Kindle, Too! Curious? Read this section to find out how you can use the creative ideas of Rita Arpaia from Literatureplace.com in your home and school classrooms right now!

Part IV — AMC Spring Newsletter

Dale Gausman, from North American Montessori Center, offers the timely Introducing a Bird Feeder and Making Grass-Eggshell People. You will also found three additional outstanding Montessori extension exercises – My Family Tree, Marble Design Paper, and Montessori Easter Activities: Ukrainian Easter Eggs in Culture and Science Curriculum with free .pdf downloads – all offered by NAMC.

Part V – AMC Spring Newsletter

Marie and Kim illustrate how drawing helps children develop a mental map. Discover a Montessori extension exercise that is designed for age group 5 to 95.

It’s time to get up and “move” with Go Green!, a brand new CD form Kimbo Educational http://kimboed.com/gogreen.aspx#.UtRAIvZVe0e “GO GREEN! Caring About Our Earth contains song about playing outdoors, recycling, planting a garden, stopping pollution, and more inspire children to connect to the Earth and encourage them to be responsible for the Earth. Action fun and singable songs motivate children to be involved and to be aware of the outside world

Look for the Guide/Extension Activities by Dr. Pam Schiller in this section of the newsletter.

Find the lyrics and directions for the song, “The Alphabet March and Match”, by Pam Schiller, Ph.D., from the new Kimbo Educational CD release, Move and Learn.

The focus of the song is on letters, which aids in literacy knowledge. Move and Learn is a unique resource, providing 17 guided, action-packed educational songs, featuring concepts and skills that are necessary for every child to learn, including numbers, colors, literacy and more.

Part VI – AMC Spring Newsletter

Dr.Borenson, from Hands-On Equations®, offers more samples of algebraic concepts.

Download free French and Spanish songs with translations from Professor Toto.

Part VII- AMC Spring Newsletter

Ruth shares a needlepoint lesson which is designed for students 12 years and older.

Marjorie shares a classical music lesson plan for springtime from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi.

Download the new, free “Anti-gravity water – is it possible? science activity from Exploration Education.

Don’t forget to read Part VIII – AMC Spring Newsletter

Celebrating the Personal Life of George Washington

Montessorians will appreciate the imaginative George Washington lesson planning ideas that author Sara Ambarian has provided. Traditional colonial recipes are featured and can easily be incorporated into Montessori’s practical life exercises. Sara has done an excellent job of presenting sufficient information about this subject, without bogging down educators with too much data.

Diana, from Nature’s Workshop Plus, knows that we are all looking forward to the beauty of spring, so she showers us with some springtime nature activities that are sure to be enjoyed in any Montessori environment.

The late Montessorian Kathy O’Reilly uses eggs as the focus of food related exercises. Her multiple subject integrated approach is supplemented with a Booklist for additional extension lessons.

Spring is literally days away, so take a moment now, to look through your upcoming lesson plans for the months ahead. Do some of your art and music lessons seem stale? If so, read below. Even if you think you have everything perfectly planned, you will want to peruse the following resources. You may just find some unique ideas or resources that you might want to use this springtime.

Music and Dance Resources

Have you thought about teaching dance to your toddler and preschool age children? If you experience trepidation at the thought of doing this, fear no more!! Gari Stein will fearlessly take you through the steps needed to feel confident while making the dance presentations. In no time at all, you will be confident in teaching your students dance steps for May Day and other springtime celebrations. . See “What? Me Teach Dance?” http://www.little-folks-music.com/what.htm to get started today.

Each of the Beethoven’s Wig CDs has featured a new twist and Beethoven’s Wig 4: Dance Along Symphonies is no exception, as it celebrates classical music for dance. Included are pieces written for the two-step, ballet, waltz, polka, minuet, rondeau, habenera and march. Creator-lyricist Richard Perlmutter has widened his focus on the classics to include such notable composers as Scott Joplin and John Philip Sousa along with favorites like Bach, Tchaikovsky and Strauss.

A wonderful introduction for children to the world of ballet, designed for ages four through six. Complete barre and center work. All tracks have repeats. Plies, Tendus, Coupe Passe, Grand Battement, Port De Bras, Saute, Spring Points, Chasse and more.

The exciting colors and interesting silhouettes of autumn can be very inspiring creatively; and arts and crafts projects and musical interludes can provide students with a welcome break from their re-immersion into academics during the back-to-school season. So be sure to take some time to explore the resources and opportunities available to help kids explore the beauties of the season with arts, crafts and music.

This is an interesting time lapse of an artist painting a still life with apples. It contains rather advanced shading, but could still inspire students with new ideas for techniques to try. Students may also get a kick out of comparing the original apples that inspired him with the finished product. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7WtTtaEems

Now that your students are comfortable with their shapes, why not try sculpting some of these traditional autumn motifs in sandable, paintable/stainable home-made wood dough? Richard from The Lord Company shares a recipe and instructions. http://www.amonco.org/creative/montessori_fall2.pdf

There are also a number of neat YouTube videos like this one that use Vivaldi’s “Autumn” as the background music for beautiful scenes of grape harvests, mushrooms growing in the woods, autumn foliage, and more seasonal sights your students might enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uaVhKocqPw

For more suggestions of classical pieces children might enjoy, as well as ideas for getting students involved with the music, check this blogpost.

Want to get more hands-on? Anna from Wood, Etc. shares instructions for making a Zebra Stick Craft. http://www.amonco.org/creative08/montessori_fall8.pdf, and Lois from Bountiful Spinweave, shares instructions for making the Broken Rib Scarf with Seed Stitch Border.

* * * * * *

It is a common theme in literature and poetry that autumn is a sad time of year, and although many writers have lauded autumn in their own ways, http://www.livinglifefully.com/fall.html , perhaps Samuel Taylor Coleridge explained the beauty and spirit of autumn the best.

Why is it that so many of us persist in thinking that autumn is a sad season?

Nature has merely fallen asleep, and her dreams must be beautiful

if we are to judge by her countenance.

Help your students see, explore and appreciate the beauty of this magical season through the arts! Refer back to this post during the next few weeks to see how you can infuse some of these creative ideas into your existing curriculum.

Autumn is just around the corner, and the AMC 2014 Fall Hands On Newsletter is filled with ideas to help make Autumn 2014 truly meaningful for the children in your life. Most of the ideas, lesson plans and other creative offerings have been generously donated by the participants of the AMC Resource Center http://www.amonco.org/directory.html, and I have contributed a few myself. This newsletter is free of charge and contains free lesson plans, recipes and crafts.

Perhaps, you don’t live in an area where you can see the change of seasons firsthand. You have only seen the changing color of the leaves via a travelogue and can only imagine such majesty of nature. In Part I of the AMC Hands On Fall Montessori Newsletter, you will find the resources you need to help children learn about how and why leaves change color and how to grow and pick pumpkins and other aspects of fall gardening. Links to apple unit studies and apple recipes and crafts and more are available by clicking here and other sections of this newsletter.

Dale, from North American Montessori Center, has contributed many Montessori presentations, including two excellent practical life exercises for this issue.

First, you will want to read through the Making Apple-Cinnamon Muffins unit. Let Dale walk you through setup, presentation, making the muffins, tidying up and tasting – all Montessori style. Extension exercises are also included. See Part V

Second, Dale has whipped up a delicious Montessori style Making Applesauce practical life exercise and recipe. See Part V of this newsletter to access this practical life exercise plus additional Montessori lessons contributed by North American Montessori Center.

Experience the delicious Apple Sauce Parfait recipe from Cooking with Children Can Be Easy.. Kathy O’Reilly told me that she had used this recipe with toddlers (18 months) through adults (81 years) and that it tastes kind of like apple pie. Sequence cards, shopping list, station setup of equipment, booklist, finger play and extension activities are also provided in this lesson plan. Kathy O’Reilly was a much beloved person as well as Montessorian. As a special tribute, her daughter, Sarah, wanted to share two of Kathy’s recipe with AMC readers.

Gourmet chef Cherry Mae Miro, contributed some Filipino favorites that can be incorporated in holiday and multicultural gatherings. See Part VIII. Cherry Mae has also included some additional mouth watering recipes for the fall and winter holidays. See Part VI to access the information. Gari, from Music for Little Folks contributed a very special chocolate pudding recipe. Visit Part IV to access the recipe. Elaine, from Kimbo Educational, forwarded a special Spider Cookies recipe which you can access by clicking here.All of these recipes are perfect for autumn parties.

Georgette, from Cantemos, will lead you step by step on how to make a guiro. Think of the fun this musical instrument will create in your school and home classrooms. It will add much to multicultural discussions involving music and musical instruments of Latin America. Visit this link for details.

Marjorie, from Classical Magic, developed a well designed lesson plan for autumn by Vivaldi – from The Four Season. See Part VIIY ou will discover that her very creative ideas can be adapted for various age groups. The Classical Magic program is now available through Sing ‘ Learn. See Part VII to access the free lesson plan and to connect with Sing ‘ Learn.

Back to School Montessori Crafts and Exercises

In Part III, Dale Gausman, from the North American Montessori Center, shares two great back to school exercises. To access The Friendship Tree and the Getting to Know You Exercises click here.

Sara Ambarian’s Autumn Colors Tissue Paper Art Project is a perfect Montessori sensorial exercise to help usher in fall. For instructions and to see the accompanying photos of what other young students created point your browser to http://www.amonco.org/creative5/montessori_fall5.pdf

Sewing, Knitting and Needlepoint

In Part V, Dale from North American Montessori Center, provides a very organized practical life exercise that includes the materials, presentation, setting up, sewing and finally finishing a Friendship Quilt. See Part V for details.

Ruth, of Ruth Dilts Design, contributed complete instructions on how to make coasters. See Part VI for details.

Anna, from Wood, Etc., suggested that young children make Zebras which can be used in an Animal Safari unit study. This project is indeed easy and inexpensive to make. Click here for more information.

Handwriting Practice

Nan Barchowsky has generously shared her writing pattern activity and a brand new calligram. This activity is available in .pdf for downloading. Take a moment now, to download your copy. Visit Part VII for details.

Some Additional Indoor and Outdoor Lesson Planning

In Part VI Rae Petersen, from The Creative Process, shares Educational Posters Directory, Resources Guide for Lifelong Learners, Classrooms, and Homeschoolers. Montessorian Dale Gausman, of North American Montessorian Center, shares some marvelous ideas that you can use right now in the article Montessori Cosmic Education and Peace: The Outdoor Environment. See Part V for details.

Art Lesson Plans

Click here to access the Color Wheel Lesson Plans shared by Rae of Creative Process. Rae tells us that these lessons can be adapted for elementary age through adult learner, and by seeing what is offered I thoroughly agree. The ideas can be integrated in art, social studies, writing, and science lessons. Rae also submitted her new Make at Home Craft Recipes. See Part III to access the lesson plans.

Holiday Craft Gift Giving

The Painted Kitchen Trivet Gift, courtesy of Fun Felt is a marvelous craft that serves as a unique gift.

Wood Crafting and Drawing

By clicking here you will find a Wood Dough Recipe for Sculpting from Richard Lord of LORD Company, and a Turtle Drawing Lesson form Kim, of Draw Your World. Richard’s recipe is a great practical life extension exercise. Kim creates integrated lessons that develop handwriting, drawing, science and more. These lessons can be customized for different age groups.

John, from Exploration Education, will walk you through the science activity SIMPLY SOUND, which helps children understand the properties of sound, and they will actually have fun doing so. Visit Part VIII for details.

Don and Diana, from Nature’s Workshop Plus, have authored the article Delighting in Discovering Little Things. Set aside time to read this informative piece. Children will discover new ways to see the world through a hand held magnifying glass or microscope. See http://www.amonco.org/creative/montessori_fall4.pdf to download this information.

Ever been on a microscope safari? Get ready, set, go! SeePart IX for additional information.

Receive a complete cardiovascular unit study for K – 12 with links for post secondary students by visiting Part VIII

It’s time to create a fall themed unit about how Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving. Read Celebrating the Harvest: Thanksgiving in the Great White North and discover how you can create interdisciplinary lessons that are both enlightening and meaningful. Then, invite your students to step back in time to study of the lifestyle of the Pilgrims. In Plymouth, Massachusetts: A Local Perspective on the Pilgrims, by Sara Ambarian, you will find an outstanding overview, resource links and other information which will enable you to create a unit study on this topic.

Next, invite your children to take a tour of Italy.
To access this integrated italian unit study, complete with lessons focusing on the art, history, music, language and cuisine, point your browser to Part IV

Now that May is almost upon us, we see the full beauty of spring everywhere. Since many of us don’t take enough time to stop and smell the roses, let’s make an exception, starting now.

May is the perfect month to present lessons about flowers. Your study doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Design your lesson plans, using a cross-curricular approach that involves Montessori practical life exercises, science, art, and other disciplines. You can select which of the following resources below will fit your child’s individual interests.

The Internet is full of flower-themed resources, many of which are free. For example, by visiting http://amonco.org/montessorisummergardening.html you can access free resources for making your own Montessori classified reading cards aids. Links to finding facts about summer flowers, flower diagram clip art, and the names of flowers in English, French and Latin are just some of what you will find by clicking the link above.

As you know, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day are just around the corner. Use some Montessori inspired ideas, plus other gift giving suggestions to make the most of these holidays. Visit http://handsonaswegrow.com/simple-spring-crafts-for-kids/ “Spring Flower Crafts for Kids” to access free instructions for making some adorable flower-themed projects.

Finally, encourage your children to share their flower-themed gifts with others who may need some special encouragement. Perhaps, you live next door to a shut-in. Or, maybe residents of a nursing home or children’s hospital can enjoy your children’s crafts. As we know, flowers and flower-themed gifts often lift the spirits of those who are experiencing a difficult time.

My hope is that the collection of resources listed in this post will make May 2013 a month of memorable learning and giving. 🙂

Enjoy!

Heidi Anne Spietzhttp://www.amonco.org
Celebrating 27 Years of Serving School and Home Educators
Montessori for the 21st Century

The Easter story has been the inspiration for many old and famous artworks. View a variety of Easter-inspired pieces, as well as some holiday history and some other fun links, here: http://incredibleart.org/links/easter.html

A Ukrainian Easter tradition is pysanky, detailed decorated Easter eggs created using a traditional wax-resist method. This is truly art on an egg, and has a long historical tradition. http://www.pbase.com/m4/eggs&page=all Older children and adults can try their hand with these free instructions, and learn more about the origins and symbolism of the eggs. http://www.learnpysanky.com/

It can be fun to have students express their own winter visions through photography and/or art.

If you have access to appropriate camera equipment for the ages of your students, why not let them try their hands at some winter photography. Most of us, young and old, have admired the famous photographs of the National Geographic Society. This short article lets us learn from the professionals how to take better photos of people, animals and nature. http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/activities/moreactivities/photography101/

For other creative media, some students will have plenty of ideas from their own imagination. If students need more inspiration, have them go outdoors (if practical), look out a window, or look through a book or magazine or on-line.

You could also encourage students to present their winter scenes with collages or textile artwork. (Textile art needn’t be an elaborate appliqué or quilting project. Very attractive scenes can be made with cut-out pieces of felt glued to a felt or paper background, for example.)

Cakes and other goodies baking in the oven are always welcome smells in our homes. Gert Kimble of Kimbo Educational shares her traditional family recipe for Grandma Cake, which she has baked over 400 times for holidays and other celebrations. http://www.amonco.org/winter6/montessori_winter6.pdf

For a lovely scent in your home or classroom that doesn’t require cooking (except if you choose to dry your orange peels in the oven), consider having students mix up a spicy potpourri. This recipe is especially good for younger children, because there are no essential oils or toxic ingredients. It also has rich, festive scents that would make it a nice holiday gift. http://www.ehow.com/how_8244416_make-potpourri-spices.html

Hope you enjoy many wonderful sights and and smells this winter season!